Press Release:
Kodak Alaris
[September 3, 2014]

New tool for preserving family records delivers scanned documents and photos directly to genealogy site

Rochester, NY -- September 3, 2014. Fascination with tracing family histories shows no signs of slowing down, which means tools that simplify and enhance the process are increasingly in demand. For example, popular genealogy research company, Ancestry.com, has grown to approximately 2.7 million subscribers. Resources such as FamilySearch, a service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), feature a massive global collection of freely accessible genealogical records, photos, and stories. FamilySearch also hosts a physical library at its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah and has more than 4,700 family history centers in 125 countries around the world.

Digitizing photos and documents, sharing and preserving them on the FamilySearch website, and enabling the general public to enrich the data by providing their own pictures and stories just got a lot easier. Recently, E-Z Photo Scan, a leading reseller for Kodak Alaris, worked closely with FamilySearch to upgrade its equipment to three state-of-the-art KODAK Picture Saver Scanning System PS50 and PS80 models. The new scanners feature a specially designed transport which treats fragile photos and documents with extra-gentle care. The scanners handle both sides of each photo in a single pass at speeds up to 85 prints per minute.

"One situation we needed to overcome was that many photos brought to our family history centers and headquarters are in very old albums," said Scott Lloyd, Desktop Engineer for Patron and Partner Services at FamilySearch. "It would be dangerous to try to take brittle photos that might be 100 years old out of album pages, so we were looking for a good solution to this issue."

The KODAK Picture Saver Scanning Systems (www.kodakalaris.com/go/picturesavernews) include a legal-size flatbed accessory that permits scanning of entire photo album pages without having to remove individual pictures or take off a plastic sheet cover. The KODAK Photo Selector Accessory automatically extracts individual images from a composite image, such as a multi-photo album page. It then saves each photo as a separate digital file.

Chris Hart, Client and Project Development Manager at E-Z Photo Scan, echoes Lloyd's assessment of Kodak Alaris' scanning solutions. "We have tested many photo scanning products and know that the KODAK Picture Saver Scanning Systems are hands-down the best and an excellent fit for FamilySearch," he says.

To further enhance the process of uploading treasured family records directly into a user's account, Kodak Alaris and E-Z Photo Scan introduced the KODAK WebUploader for FamilySearch. The WebUploader is a powerful tool to view, select and seamlessly uploads collections immediately after being digitized. Plus, the WebUploader can easily upload files to be saved in other locations, such as a folder on the user's hard drive.

FamilySearch is currently operating multiple KODAK PS80 Picture Saver Scanning Systems. "Individuals are bringing in 400 to 500 pictures and they are scanned with outstanding quality in 15 minutes or so," Lloyd says. "We have now ordered 20 more PS80 Systems through E-Z Photo Scan to send out to additional centers because they are so easy to use and our customers are very satisfied with the quality of the captured images. The new WebUploader will make the process even more efficient."

"Preserving family history and memories is a serious responsibility, and we want to ensure that the scanning process does not risk damaging precious documents and photos. Plus it needs to be easy so more people will get involved," noted Bruce Holroyd, Worldwide Product Manager, Photo Scanning Products, Kodak Alaris. "Our solutions are ideal for providing the needed quality while protecting and preserving the original images and documents. Now, with the WebUploader, families can more easily share and preserve information for future generations."

While the WebUploader is designed specifically for FamilySearch users, anyone who has pictures and documents that need to be uploaded can take advantage of the Picture Saver Scanning Systems' Smart Touch functionality, which enables users to directly scan and send files to destinations such as SharePoint, Box, Evernote and other online repositories.

Please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ_-RZ-_Ws8 to see a video on the WebUploader. For more information, please visit the E-Z Photo Scan website at https://ezphotoscan.com/kodak-webuploader-familysearch-registration-support.

About Kodak Alaris' Document Imaging Division

Kodak Alaris' Document Imaging solutions enable customers to capture and consolidate data from digital and paper sources, understand and extract valuable insight from the contents, and deliver the right information to the right people at the right time. Our offerings include award-winning scanners, capture and information management software, an expanding range of professional services and industry-leading service and support. With customers ranging from small offices to global operations, Kodak Alaris delivers superior systems and solutions to automate business processes, enhance customer interactions and enable better business decisions. The Kodak trademark and trade dress are used under license from Eastman Kodak Company.

Summary:

Fascination with tracing family histories shows no signs of slowing down, which means tools that simplify and enhance the process are increasingly in demand. For example, popular genealogy research company, Ancestry.com, has grown to approximately 2.7 million subscribers. Resources such as FamilySearch, a service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, feature a massive global collection of freely accessible genealogical records, photos, and stories. FamilySearch also hosts a physical library at its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah and has more than 4,700 family history centers in 125 countries around the world.